Thread: Just had my 3rd straight shave

Most new guys use too much pressure, stropping and shaving. If you use too much pressure stropping, you can easily roll a shave ready edge.

So, lets check the edge. Take a QTip and with just the cotton tip, run it along the edge from the heel to the toe, very lightly so you are just touching the edge. Go slowly, if you have the slightest chip it will snag the cotton, you will feel and see it. You can repeat this test as often as needed, without damaging the edge.

If there is no damage to the edge, strop lightly with the spine and edge in contact with the leather, stop when you reach the end and flip. Keep the spine on the leather at all times and go back to strop the other side. Use only enough pressure to keep the razor flat on the strop. Do 10 laps. It is easy to use too much pressure on a paddle strop, because the strop does not give.

Start out by shaving just one downward pass, then finish shaving with which ever razor you were using. Do this for a solid week.

After a week you should have some confidence, have a better grasp of pressure and not be a bloody mess. To use a styptic pencil, first wipe the blood off with a wet towel or piece of tissue, dab the end of the stypic pencil in a drop of water and immediately dab the cut. Try to let the blood clot with out touching the cut, but if you have to, dab around the cut with a tissue to absorb the blood. It should clot in a few minutes, if needed dampen and dab again after a few minutes. Rinse off the stypic by dabbing in a drop of water and wipe on a clean tissue. Do not dip in water or under running water it will melt, a quick dab in a single drop of water is all you need, then dry. Stypic are cheap, buy a couple, at any drug store.

For me more that one application will not improve much, then its tissue time over the cut and let it clot. A dab of a good antibiotic, Bacitracin or Neosporin will speed healing, especially if you apply at night before bed. If you cut badly let it heal for a couple to 3 days before shaving over or you will just cut off the scab.

After the first week do 2 downward passes, on the 3rd week do 2 passes and an against the grain pass. Go slow take your time. Make sure your razor is stropped and chip free, (Q Tip test).

Most everyone’s beard grows in various directions, so on your last pass I go ATG on the weird spots. I do 2 (WTG) with the grain, and 1 (ATG) passed with soap, and a water cleanup, no soap on just the wild spots, for me corners of my mouth and neck below the ears where it grows at a 45-degree angle.

You can also try a pre shave with Noxzema or Trader Joe’s Honey Mango shave cream, my favorite. Rub on a thin coat on a wet face, then get your gear together. A pre shave will soften your beard and add slickness.

You also may want to try a high-end soap like Martin de Candre or Castle Forbes, two of my all-time favorites, they really are worth every penny. They are creamy, smell great, slick and a tub last a long time.

The trick is to go slow, use a truly Shave Ready razor, a good slick soap and ease up on the pressure.

Take up Outback on his offer, and if you want to buy, look at the Buy Sell Trade forum, ask any Mentor for a recomendation by PM, on anything you are interested in. You will likely buy a much better razor at a way better price and shave ready from a known member here.